Flexible shafting.



lNTTED STATES PATENT Ormes..

apesar. JOHNSTON', OF-sOr-IELLSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLEXIBLE .SHAF-TING.

To all 'whom it may'co'ncem: l Be it known that I, EDGAR F. JOHNSTON, acitizen i of the United States, residing at Schellsburg, inthe county ofBedfoigj and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flexi* ble Shafting, of which the following -is aspecication.' This invention relates to flexible shafting and has in`flexible shafting isiapplied.

- To this end the invention has in view a simple and practicalconstruction of shaiting wherein the various links or units constitutingthe same are hinged together in a ,manner to maintain a maximum strengthby an even distribution of the torsional strain imposed upon the varioushinge-joints while at the same time admitting c f a wide range offlexibility to adapt the shafting to varying conditions.- Also, theinventioicontemplates a construction offleirible shaiting wherein the-indivi'dual elements orunits are held against displacement. f '1.' Y

The general Withthese and manyother objects .in view, which will morereadily appear as the nat-ure ofthe invention is better understood, thesameconsists in the'novel construction, combination and arrangement ofparts here-y inafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The essential feature of the invention involved in the i constructionofthe individual links or units in themanv ner of hingingthe'sametogether, isnecessarily susceptible to structural change withoutdeparting from they s cope'of the invention, but" a preferred embodimentjacent'links Orfunits and their fittings, the yview illus? trating-'tl'e`saine separatednand showinf'g the relatively different angles of thesuccessive hinge jointsf Like references designate correspondingpartsseveralfigures ofthe drawings."

, T hfimproved shafting contemplated by the present in. sie

invention isv preferably of a cylindrical: form threugh.

out,V and is made' up of a continuous series of similar links or'units 1. These links or units l are made of metal or other suitablematerial preferably cast into proper form', yand all alikewith theexception. of the terminal units o r'sections 2 which are necessarilyvariou'sly shaped to adapt the same for attachment to the -speeiscationof Letters Patent. Y Application filed October 3, lflflfi. Serial No.337.203.

object of the invention isto provide acylindrical sh'aft or shaftingembodying-,a maximumstrength and iexihility. Y movement of the parts.l

thereofis shown 'n. thefaccompanying drawings, in'

"Patented July 3o, 1907.

I' machine or -tool tevwhich, or from which, the shafting conveys power.

Referring to the detailed construction of the links or .units 1,`it willbe observed that each of the same consists ofa short cylindrical blockprovidedat one side with ,an` integral or otherwise rigidly formedtransverse cylindrical .knuckle-rib 4, and at .its directly oppositeside with a similarly shaped hinge groove 5, both said rib 4 and groove5, at opposite sides of the same'link block or body, being iermedwithcontracted necks 6 and7, respectively, whereby, when'the knuckle-rib 4of one link or unit is loosely engaged with the groove'5 ofthe adjacentlink or unit, having been inserted endwise, the said adjacent links'orunits-are tightly interlocked and prevented from pulling apart,.while atthe same time permitting a perfectly free rocking move? ment. Y

ln ord er to prevent endwise displacement of the individualknuckle-ribs, each link block or section 1- has fitted thereinl atransverse retaining pin 8 which passes through a centrally arranged -keper notch 9 formed centrally and transversely ofthe ib held in thegroove esI 5 of the said linkblock. The-said keeper notch 9 is ofgson'of these double-beveled faces l() upon the contigu' fous sides ofthehingedly connected links or units l, a

great degree of dexibility is providedfor inthe shafting. 4Thedistinctive feature of the invention resides in -the fact that the rib 4and the grobve 5 of Veach link or unitjl arenot in parallel planes. `Onthe contrary, y

they are set at different angles relative to' the center line of theshafting whereby each hinge connection or hinge-joint may be saidto passthrough the center of' theshafting at a different angle from thepreceding hinge-joint. ln other words, the angles of the seriesAoihinged-joints are different and regularly spaced so that thesaidfjoints may be', said to be arranged in spiral -order throughout thelengtlrof the shafting thereby uniformly distributing the torsional'strain imposed upon said line of joints, and greatly increasing thestrength of the shafting. Of course, the degree of relative angularityof the line of hinge-joints may be varied to suit any required conditionof workl without affecting the fundamental feature involved in the'spiral arrangement Of the hinge-joints.

From the foregoing it is thought that 'the construction l and manyadvantages of the herein described flexible shaiting will be apparentwithout furtherdescription,

and it will also be understood that various changes in l the'form,vproportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to Withoutdeparting from thespirit v 'or sacrificing any ofthe advantages oitheinvrntion.

Iiclaim: A 1.: A` flexible shafting comprising a vcontinuous series oflinks eaii provided at one side with a cylinqricaI--grooye and et theopposite side with a cyhndriaknnckle rib, and

, at retaining-device mounted, in each Unk body ,and iopgeiylinterlocking with the rib fitting in the` groove there `2. A flexibleshaftingvconsisting of a continuon serien-of cylindriaixiinksHechprovided upoiiy `opposite sides with double beveled ciea're'nceffaces,each of said link-s being further provided at oneA side withacylindrica1 hinge groove and at theopposite Side witha-cylindrcal'knuckierib provided therein with a keeper notch, und aretaining i x Witnesses: v i ll i MARY E. Dononnn'ry,

.Turm n, ELLIOTT,

EDGAR FxvJQHNSTON, l

